Corn-harvester



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

0. KING, T. LBACH 8c 'J. LARSON.

' 001m HARVESTER.

No. 462,104. Patented May 12, 1891.

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'Jbizn Iarso 77 (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O.'KING, T. LEAOH.& J. LARSON. w001m 'HARVESTER.

No. 452,104. Patented May 12, 1891.

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I 3a 1 1 01807? 1 111 9 I) o- Jiznmas ea 6 J07??? Larson ORSON KINGTHOMAS LEACl'I, AND JOHN LARSON, OF RANDOLPH, KANSAS.

CORN-HARVESTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No; 452,104, dated May 12,1891.

Application filed October 17, 1890. Serial No. 868,398. (No model.)

, To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that we, ORSON KING, THOMAS LEACH, and JOHN LARSON, citizensof the United States, residing at Randolph, in the county of Riley andState of Kansas, have invented a new and useful Corn-Harvester, of whichthe following is a specification.

This invention relates to corn-harvesters; and it has fpr its object toconstruct a machine of this class which shall possess superioradvantages'in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency.

With these ends in View the invention consists in the improvedconstruction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will behereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

I In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure 1 1s a top plan View of acorn-harvester embodying our improvements. Fig. 2 is a bottom plan viewof the same. Fig.3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a frontelevat-ion.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

The frame of our improved corn-harvester is composed of the sills orside beams 1 1, which are connected at suitable intervals by thecross-pieces 2 2, of which there may be three or more. The under sidesof the crossb ams 2 2 have boxes or bearings 3 for a longitudinal shaft4, which extends the entire length of the frame and is provided with apinion 5, meshing with a bevel-gear 6, which is mounted upon the innerend of a shaft or axle 7, having its bearings in a brace 8, whichconnects two of the cross-pieces 2, and in a box 9 upon the under sideof one of the framebcams 1. The latter has a recess 10 in its under sideto accommodate the supportingwheel 11, which is secured upon the outerend of the shaft or axle 7. The other supporting-wheel 12 is journaledupon a spindle 13, forming part of a stub-axle 14, which is secured uponthe under side of the framebeam 1.

The front end of the frame has a platform 15, provided with a lateralextension 16, upon which is mounted a casting 17, in which the tongue 18is adj ustably secured in such a manner that its front end may be raisedor lowered, thereby vertically adjusting the front end of the frame ofthe machine. The extension 16 also supports the drivers seat 19. 20 and21 are uprights mounted, respectively, at the front and rear ends of theframe-beam 1. Said uprights are provided at their upper ends withbearings for a longitudinal shaft 22. A similar shaft 23 is journaled insuitable bearings at the front and rear ends of the frame adjacent tothe lower ends of the uprights 20 and 21. Additional longitudinal shafts24 and 25 are journaled in suitable hearings or boxes 26 at the frontand rear ends of the frame near the frame-beams 1 and 1, respectively.

Over the shafts 24 and 25 is stretched an endless apron 27, and anotherapron 28, which occupies an approximately vertical position, isstretched over the shafts 22 and 23. The apron 28 is provided withlongitudinal slats 29, having outwardly -extending arms or prongs 30,constituting an elevator for the purpose of elevating the cut corn fromthe bed of a machine and depositing it in the dumping-trough, which willbe presently more fully described. A guard-plate 31 is mountedvertically at the outer edge of the longitudinal frame-beam 1.

The upper side of the platform 15 at the front end of the machine has arecess 32, in which is mounted a knife or cutter 33, having a V-shapedrecess 34, provided with sharp cutting-edges. A metallic bracing-plate35 is secured to the under side of the platform.

36 is a vertical shaft extending through suitable bearings in the plate35 and cutter 33, and having at its lower end a pinion 37, meshing witha pinion 38 upon the front end of the longitudinal shaft 4. The shaft 36carries the rotary knife or cutter 40, which is provided with a seriesof arms 41, having. sharp cutting-edges that co-operate with the edgesof the knife or cutter 33 to sever the corn.

42 designates a vertical reel-shaft, the lower end of which is steppedin a suitable bearing 43 in the platform 15. An additionalbearing forsaid shaft is provided in a bracket 44, which is suitably secured to anend board 45, which latter is bolted or otherwise suitably secured tothe front side of the upright 20. The upper end of the reel-shaftcarries a vertically-adjustable hub 46, having a set-screw 17,133 meansof which it may be secured at any desired adjustment. The hub 40 isprovided with radially-extending arms 48. The lower end of the shaft i2has a sprocket'wheel it), connected by a chain 50 with a sprocketwheel51 upon the cutter-shaft 36, from which latter motion is thustransmitted to the reel.

The rear end of the longitudinal shaft 4 has a sprocket-wheel 52, whichis connected by achain 58 with a sprocket-wheel 5t upon the rear end ofthe shaft The latter is provided with an additional sprocket-wheel 55,connected by a chain 56 with a sprocketwheel 57 upon the shaft 22.Motion isin this manner transmitted to the endless aprons 27 and 28,which constitute the carrying mechanism of the machine.

Suitably secured to the outer sides of the uprights 20 and 21 is aninclined shelf 58, to the lower edge of which is hinged a drop-leaf 59,the front end of which has its outer edge connected by a cord or chainWith an operating-lever 61, which is pivoted in a suitable bracket orbearing 62, mounted upon the front side of the partition-wall 45adjacent to the drivers seat.

The operation of our invention will be readily understood from theforegoing descriptiomtaken in connection with the drawings heretoannexed. As the machine progresses over the field, a rotary motion istransmitted from the axle 7, carrying the wheel ll, to the longitudinalshaft l, and from thence to the cutting mechanism and to the carryingmechanism composed of the endless aprons 27 and 28. From thecutter-shaft 36 motion is transmitted to the shaft of the reel, whichlatter is vertically adjustable to suit the height of the corn which isto be operated upon. The corn as it is being severed drops upon theendless apron 27,which carries it to the elevating mechanism composed ofthe endless apron 28, having the slats 29, pro vided with the prongs 30.The cut corn is thus elevated and deposited in the trough composed ofthe shelf 58 and dropleaf 59, where it is retained until a sufficientquantity has accumulated, which may then be tied and dumped bymanipulating the lever 61.

Having thus described our invention, we claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent of the United States-- 1. In a corn-harvester, thecombination of the frame, the platform at the front end of the same,having a recess in its upper side, the fixed cutter mounted in saidrecess and having a V-shaped notch with sharpened edges, a metallicbracing-plate mounted upon the under side of the platform, the rotarycutter-shaft extending vertically through said plate and through thecutter-plate and having arms provided with sharpened edges, and a pinionupon the lower end of said cuttershaft meshing with the pinion at thefront end of a shaft extendinglongitudinally under the frame andreceiving motion from one of the drive-wheels, substantially as setforth.

2. In a cornharvester, the combination of the frame provided at itsfront end with a platform having a lateral extension, theeasting mountedupon said extension and having the adjustable tongue, the drivers seatmounted upon said extension, the uprights at the front and rear ends ofthe frame, the end board secured upon the front upright, the inclinedshelf secured upon the outer sides of the uprights and having a hingedleaf,a cord or chain connecting the latter with a lever mounted upon thefront side (if the end board,the cutter mounted in a recess formed inthe platform at the front end of the frame, the vertical cutter-shaftcarrying a rotary cutter, the vertical reel-shaft having the verticallyadjustable reel, said shaft being stepped in the platform at the frontend of the machine and provided with an additional bearing attached tothe vertical end board, means for transmitting motion from thecutter-shaft to the reel-shaft, the endless carriers arrangedapproximately in a horizontal and a vertical position, the latter beingprovided with slats having outwardly-extending prongs, theverticallyarranged guard-plate, a shaft arranged longitudinally underthe frame and receiving motion direct from the axle of the machine, andmeans for transmitting motion from the ends of the shaft to thecuttershaft and to the endless carriers, substantially as herein setforth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have heretoaffixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

ORSON KING. THOMAS LEACII. JOHN LARSON. \Vitnesses:

M. E. IR\VIN, E. 0. KING.

